A Dog's Purpose

May 31, 2010
A tail-wagging three hanky boo-hooer, this delightful fiction debut by newspaper columnist Cameron (8 Simple Rules for Marrying My Daughter) proposes that a dog's purpose might entail being reborn several times. Told in a touching, doggy first-person, this unabashedly sentimental tale introduces Toby, who's rescued by a woman without a license for her rescue operation, so, sadly, Toby ends up euthanized. He's reborn in a puppy mill and after almost dying while left in a hot car, he's saved again by a woman, and he becomes Bailey, a beloved golden retriever, who finds happiness and many adventures. His next intense incarnation is as Ellie, a female German shepherd, a heroic search and rescue dog. But the true purpose of this dog's life doesn't become totally clear until his reincarnation as Buddy, a black Lab. A book for all age groups who admire canine courage, Cameron also successfully captures the essence of a dog's amazing capacity to love and protect. And happily, unlike Marley, this dog stays around for the long haul.

Doggie reincarnation is what's in store for Bailey/Ellie/Buddy. The dog point of view is bemused and matter-of-fact as George Wilson takes us along for three rebirths, one as a girl dog. If you can buy into the premise of a feral stray coming back for second, third, and fourth helpings of life--first as a young boy's companion, then as a search-and-rescue hero, and finally as a black lab who connects again with the boy (now an old man)--you'll love this inside look at a canine. The dog is on the hunt for his purpose in life, but he (and possibly you, too) feels a bit worn out by the time he hits his fourth time out of the gate. Wilson's steady, sure voice will stay in your head as you look at your own dog. Has your pup lived with someone else before you? How do you compare? The metaphysical ramifications may have you chasing your own tail. M.M.C. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine